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dhfan

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Viewing 15 posts - 631 through 645 (of 3,092 total)
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  • December 21, 2007 at 10:59 am in reply to: New Merlins #1242884
    dhfan
    Participant

    A pure guess…

    The Rolls-Royce factory in Glasgow, and I believe Crewe, had a far higher proportion of unskilled or semi-skilled workers. The Derby engines were effectively hand built by highly experienced artisans.

    Did they also have to tighten up their tolerances?

    A slight aside:
    Packard even made their own BSF and BA taps and dies for the Merlin as they couldn’t find capacity anywhere else.

    December 13, 2007 at 3:10 pm in reply to: "later versions" more difficult to restore than "earlier versions" #1248884
    dhfan
    Participant

    I guess it would.

    If jigs are needed for Spitfires, Mustangs and Hurricanes, whilst not kept in every aviation engineering company, you’ve still got a choice of people to rebuild your aeroplane.

    The Spitfire 21 and 22/24 fuselage shouldn’t be a problem back to the tail joint but AFAIK nobody’s rebuilt one to fly so the tail and wings would be a different matter. Tempest same problem – first build a jig.

    December 13, 2007 at 5:34 am in reply to: Multi-engine synchronisation #1249469
    dhfan
    Participant

    The Westland Whirlwind predates the P.38 by a year or so.

    Rolls-Royce chose to make the Peregrines really complicated – the engines, not just the props, were handed.

    They reckoned it was too much trouble and never did it again…

    December 7, 2007 at 1:01 am in reply to: Typhoon, Thunderbolt canopy question. #1256386
    dhfan
    Participant

    Pedantic mode on.

    Regarding Antoni’s extremely knowledgable post, Plexiglas(s?) was German. We used Perspex, made by ICI.

    December 6, 2007 at 4:56 pm in reply to: Diamonds of your Aviation Library (boasting thread 2007) #1256938
    dhfan
    Participant

    “British Experimental Jet Aircraft” Barrie Hygate RRP £8.40 now £258
    Roger Smith.

    Strange. My copy – Argus Books 1990 says £32.50 on the back cover.

    I paid about a fiver remaindered IRRC.

    November 29, 2007 at 6:27 pm in reply to: Aircraft names and places (Merged with a zombie) #1265038
    dhfan
    Participant

    There are a few others mixed in with these that may have an aviation origin that I don’t recognise:
    Moore Close (off Brabazon Avenue)
    Brancker Close (off Brown close which is off Alcock Close)

    Moore Close – Moore-Brabazon?
    Brancker Close – Sir Sefton Brancker, Air Vice Marshall, Minister for Civil Aviation. Killed in the R101 crash.

    November 8, 2007 at 2:29 am in reply to: BAe Chadderton Demolition #1288777
    dhfan
    Participant

    Regardless of what the statistics say, which used selectively can be made to prove anything…

    Can or do we make any aeroplanes? Or is just bits for various other countries aerospace industries.

    October 28, 2007 at 6:33 pm in reply to: hercules engined lancs/merlin engined halifaxes #1303647
    dhfan
    Participant

    It comes from “The Merlin in Perspective” published by the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust.

    The outer engines suffered reduction gear failures which was cured by fitting four-bladed props. The port outer was the worst. I can’t remember now if it explained why it helped, but if it did I’ve forgotten anyway. 🙂

    October 28, 2007 at 3:13 pm in reply to: Yet another Spitfire flies – PL344 #1303864
    dhfan
    Participant

    Re the BBMF and serials. I thought I read some time ago that as they were still RAF aircraft they had to keep the genuine serial. Or did I make that up?
    Personally I prefer to see the correct serial retained, whatever scheme the aircraft is finished in.

    October 26, 2007 at 2:17 pm in reply to: aircraft undercarrige design #1306410
    dhfan
    Participant

    The bodge on the Stirling I think was referred to as a crate, fitted between the top of the legs and the attachment points.

    I guess it all leads back to the Air Ministry’s insistence that the wingspan be less than 100 feet to fit into existing hangars. With a bigger wing the take-off run would presumably be reduced. It would have had a better ceiling too.

    October 25, 2007 at 2:43 am in reply to: Pembroke Interior Shots? #1308081
    dhfan
    Participant

    Rumbold are sort of still about. They got swallowed up a few years ago.
    http://www.contour.aero/aboutus/index.php?contentID=20

    October 19, 2007 at 8:51 am in reply to: Heinkel He177 Greif #1315468
    dhfan
    Participant

    I’ve found an article about the Princess in an old Aeroplane Monthly from July 1989.
    It appears to show the engines drove a contra-prop through the gearbox, as opposed to a prop each. This is confirmed by it only have six throttle levers, one per nacelle effectively.

    October 17, 2007 at 4:28 pm in reply to: Heinkel He177 Greif #1319284
    dhfan
    Participant

    No, you’re right. The Vulture was based on the Peregrine or Kestrel design.

    October 17, 2007 at 3:27 pm in reply to: Heinkel He177 Greif #1319309
    dhfan
    Participant

    No, you can’t have the Gannet as each engine drove it’s own prop, 🙂

    Was the Princess separate props for each engine (except the outers) or a contra-prop through a gearbox? The latter I believe but I’m not certain.

    October 17, 2007 at 11:36 am in reply to: De Havilland PS26-6 Gyron #1319588
    dhfan
    Participant

    There’s something about it in Project Cancelled. I think Sidney Camm said it was about 85% complete but the board wouldn’t fund completion with no RAF requirement for the beast.

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